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About Us

The initiative to establish a library association was led by Mr. A. S. Bryant, the first Director of the Jamaica Library Service, as such a body was regarded as an 'essential part of library organisation in the island.' Accordingly in 1949, a year after the Jamaica Library Service was established, the Provisional Library Board approved the convening of a meeting of all persons working in libraries or having an interest in library development. The meeting was a success as 94 persons met at the St. Catherine Parish Library on July 14, 1949 and passed a resolution that the Jamaica Library Association be formed.

 

OUR MISSION
To provide leadership in the development, promotion and mobilization of personnel, institutions and resources in the information field in order to encourage learning and facilitate access to information.

 

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

The Jamaica Library Association was founded to:-

- Unite all persons engaged in or interested in library work in Jamaica and provide opportunities for their meeting together to discuss matters relating to libraries.

- Encourage co-operation between libraries and promote the active development and maintenance of libraries throughout Jamaica.

- Promote a high standard of education and training of library staff and work towards improving the status of librarians.

- Promote a wider knowledge of library work and to form an educated public opinion on libraries.

 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The affairs of the Association are managed by an Executive Committee of not more than fifteen(15) members. The officers of the Association comprise the President, the Immediate Past President, not more than two Vice-presidents, the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer.

 

MEETINGS
The Association organizes (a) regular meetings, (b) professional meetings, (c) seminars and workshops and (d) conferences. The Association hosts an Annual General Meeting in January of each year. Regular meetings are held at least three times a year. Meetings of the Executive are held as often as is necessary for the transaction of business.

 

MEET THE 2024 EXECUTIVE

Positions Names

Emails          

President Joseph A. Kerr liajapresident@yahoo.com
1st Vice President Sasekea Harris

---

2nd Vice President

Kadiesha A. Grant ---
Immediate Past President Kerry-Ann Rodney-Wellington ---
Honorary Secretary Natoyna Garwood
liajasecretary@gmail.com
Honorary Treasurer Kadiesha A. Grant liajatreasurer@gmail.com
DLIS/Library Educational Institutions Representative  --- ---
Chair, Retired Members Special Interest Group --- ---
Chair, Academic Libraries Section Nicholeen Saunders-Grant ---
Chair, Records and Archives Management Section Tricia Lawrence-Powell
liaja.ram.jm@gmail.com
Chair, Schools Section Ruth Baker-Gardner ---
Chair, Special Libraries Section
Leleka Johnson  liaja.special.libraries@gmail.com
Chair, Fundraising Working Party Teisha Palmer

liajafundraising@gmail.com

Chair, Education & Training Working Party Ana Peralta-Almira liajaetwp@gmail.com
Chair, Information Technology Working Party Natalee Knight

liajaitjm@gmail.com

Chair, Membership & Conditions of Service Working Party Monique Forgie-Scott liajamembership@gmail.com
Chair, Public Relations Working Party Jodi-Ann Sadler liajaprjm@gmail.com
Chair, Research and Publication Working Party Sasekea Harris liajaresearchpublications@gmail.com
JARD Representative --- ---
JLS Representative Marsha Jack ---
NLJ Representative Desaray Pivott-Nolan ---
Chair, Functions Sub-section Kaye-Ann Robinson liajafunctions@gmail.com
Chair, Advocacy Sub-section Adele Merritt Bernard

liaja.advocacy@gmail.com

Chairs, Awards Sub-section --- ---
Chair, Building and Property Development  Sub-committee David Drysdale ---
Chair, 75th Anniversary Secretariat Natoyna Garwood ---

 

 

PAST PRESIDENTS & SECRETARIES

Year

Past President

Year

Past Secretary

1950

A.S. Bryant

1950-53

K.E. Ingram

1951

Harold Holdsworth

1954-55

Beryl Fletcher

1952

H. Haughton

1956

Hazel Gray (Bennett)

1953

J.W. O’Reagan

1957

Daphne Douglas

1954

William P. Chape

1958

Rosalind Davis (McLauglin)

1955

C. Bernard Lewis

1959-61

Leila Thomas

1956

K.E. Ingram

1962

Ouida Benjamin (Rowe)

1957

Edgerton Richardson

1963

Daphne Douglas (resigned)

1958

W. Adolphe Roberts

Sybil Jones (Iton)

1959

Mary Brelmer

Gloria Salmon

1960

William Gocking

1964

Sheila Bacchus – Lampart (Jan-July)

1961

John Carberry

Rema Falconer (Sept-Jan)

1962

Hazel Bennett

1965

Gwen Pottinger

1963

Leslie Robinson

1966

C. Pippa Fray

1964

Joyce Robinson

1967-68

Rose Wright

1965

Gloria Cumper

1969-71

Fay Durrant

1966

William Gocking

1972-73

Albertina Jefferson

1967

Graham Binns

1974-75

Laura-Ann Munroe

1968

Hazel Bennett

1976

Yvonne Graydon

1969

Vic Reid

1977-78

Audrey Chambers

1970

Leila Thomas

1979

Mabel Marsh

1971

C.L. Stuart

1980

Ruby Tyson

1972

K.E. Ingram

1981-82

Hermine Salmon

1973

R.L.C. Aarons (Resigned)

1983-84

Arlene Ononaiwu

 

Joyce Robinson

1985

Gloria Salmon

1974

Amy Robertson

1986-87

Valda Adeyiga

1975

Stephaney Ferguson

1988-89

Gloria Greene

1976

Leila Thomas

1990

Yolanda Mittoo (Jan-Mar)

1977

Daphne Douglas

June Vernon (Apr- Jun)

1978

Albertina Jefferson

1991

Rita Whittaker

1979

Barbara Chevannes

1992-93

Maureen Kerr-Campbell

1980

Mercedes Joseph

1994

Patricia Cuff

1981

Katie M. Mungo

1995

Frances Salmon

1982

Norma Kelly

1996

June Vernon

1983

Sheila Lampart

1997

Dionne Holness-Smith (resigned)

1984

Lilieth Morris

Adele Merritt (Oct 97-Jan 98)

1985

Sybil Iton

1998

Adele Merritt

1986-87

John Aarons

1999

Rosemarie Runcie

1988

Norma Amenu-Kpodo

2000

Janet James

1989

Albertina Jefferson

2001

Kevin Samuda

1990

Blossom Mullings

2002

Marva Bradford

1991

June Vernon

2003

Yulande Lindsay

1992

Sonia Reid

2004

Yulande Lindsay

1993

Merline Bardewell

2005

Marva Bradford

1994

Gloria Clarke

2006

Daphne Daley

1995

Paulette Kerr

2007

Daphne Daley

1996

Rita Whittaker

2008

Christina Stewart-Fullerton

1997

Richele Harvey

2009

Natanya Gillard

1998

Patricia Cuff

2010

Marsha Nembhard

1999

Cherrell Shelley-Robinson

2011

Andrea Robins

2000

Hermine Salmon

2012

Kelene Moss

2001

Winsome Hudson

2013

Leleka Johnson

2002

Eva Barnes

2014

Marsha-Gay Robinson

2003

Byron Palmer

2015

Theresa Reid

2004

Pamela Blake

2016

Theresa Reid

2005

Fay Durrant

2017

Chantelle Richardson

2006

Karen Barton

2018

Monique Forgie-Scott

2007

David Drysdale

2019

Chantal Cousins

2008

Marva Bradford

2020

Simone Harrison

2009

Mavis Belasse-Williams

2021

Simone Harrison

2010

Paulette Stewart

2022

Natoyna Garwood

2011

Pauline Nicholas

2023

Natoyna Garwood

2012

Claudette Thomas

 

 

2013

Matthew Blake

 

 

2014

Vivienne Kerr Williams

 

 

2015

Vivienne Kerr Williams

 

 

2016

Jollette Pinnock Russell

 

 

2017

Jollette Pinnock Russell

 

 

2018

Nicholas Graham

 

 

2019

Nicholas Graham

 

 

2020

Mark-Jeffery Deans

 

 

2021

Mark-Jeffery Deans

 

 

2022 Kerry-Ann Rodney-Wellington    
2023 Kerry-Ann Rodney-Wellington